MIDDLE KINGDOM
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCES AND RETURNS

NOVEMBER 1998

This is the Middle Kingdom Letter of Acceptances and Returns for Escutcheon's September
1998 Letter of Intent. Comments
in braces {} were removed from the Letter of Intent sent to Laurel and the College of Arms.
Names, devices, or
badges in braces have been returned or pended; general comments or replies to commentary are
also placed in
braces.

I would like to thank Odd Oddson and Sáerbrethach mac Lugdach, who are
commenting for the first time this
month, as well as Master John ap Wynne, Jibra'il al-Nasrani, Lady Aryanhwy merch Catmael,
Lord Eirik Banna,
Lady Mhorag nighean Dhuibhghiolla, Lord Alasdair Montgomery, Lord Mikhail of Lubelska,
Lady Aelfreda aet
Aethelwealda, Doré van der Zee, Amilia Mary Herteshorn, and Master Dmitrii Volkovich.
I would also like to
thank Lady Phebe Bonadeci, Lord Kevin Ambrjzwski, and Geillis inghean Dhuibhgall for helping
in the
preparation of the letter.

CONFLICTS: When you call a conflict, please include the blazon
in the description. I rely on an online O&A,
but we don't have access to the Web during staff meetings and so we can't check conflicts.

SCOTTISH NAMES: We've gotten a lot of Scottish names that
show evidence of some understandable confusion
about Scottish naming. In an attempt to clarify things, I would like to provide a
very rough outline of the issue.

In period, at least five languages were spoken by natives of Scotland. For our purposes, we
need to consider
two--Scots and Gaelic. Scots is closely related to English. Gaelic is spoken in Ireland and
Scotland. These two
languages are not closely related and have different spelling rules and grammar. Generally
speaking, Scots and
Gaelic names shouldn't be mixed together, so it is helpful to know whether a name is Scots or
Gaelic. (A quick
hint--mac names are Gaelic. Names which are found with
de are Scots.)

Things become a little more confused because all the people who kept records in Scotland
spoke Scots. Therefore,
all the Gaelic names we have from Scotland are recorded using Scots spelling rules--so that (for
example) the
Gaelic Donnchadh mac Leoid is recorded in Scots as
Duncan Macleod (and there are dozens of possible spelling
variants…). In the SCA, prospective Scots can pass either a Gaelic or Scots spelling of their name,
but they can't
mix a Gaelic spelling of their first name with a Scots spelling of their byname (so that
Donnchadh Macleod would
be returned).

In practice, consulting heralds aren't expected to know all the details of Scots naming (I
certainly don't…) But
your clients should at least be aware that there is no such thing as a "Scottish language" proper,
so that they're not
shocked if their name gets modified in process.

1) Andrew Blount--New Device

Per chevron argent and sable, a raven displayed,
head to sinister, within an orle of decrescents
counterchanged.

The client's name was registered 10/91.

{2) Angus James MacDonald--Change of Device
to Badge

Per bend sinister argent and purpure, a tower vert
and an anchor Or.

The client's name was registered 5/95. This armory
is already his registered device; apparently he was
unaware that he didn't need to put it through the
submission process again to make it a badge.
However, since he has withdrawn his change of
device, we are not going to forward this
administrative change to Laurel.

If a client wants to change their device and retain
their original device as a badge, they can check the
appropriate box on the new forms.}

3) Ariadne la Noire--Name and Device
Resubmission

Sable, three swans displayed, wings inverted, a
bordure Or.

{The client's previous submission, Ariadne de le
Corbeau Chevaux, was returned by Rouge Scarpe
on 5/98. Her original device, Gules, a swan
displayed, wings inverted, within a bordure Or, was
returned on 5/98 for conflict. This resubmission
clears all these problems.}

The client documented Ariadne from Williams, The
World of Titian, p. 108. It is also documented as
French and Italian name used "in earlier times" by
Withycombe, 31. It would be nice if someone could
find a dated French citation for the name when it is
resubmitted, but it appears to be reasonable. Noir is
found in Dauzat, 452.

4) Brandr þorfinnson--New Device

Per pale sable and gules, in pale a Thor's hammer
inverted and a Thor's hammer argent.

The client's name was registered 5/98. {In period
heraldry, both hammers would almost certainly be
drawn facing up.}

{5) Caitlin of Greencastle--New Device

Or, a castle within a bordure embattled vert.

According to SCA precedent, there is no difference
between a castle and a tower. Thus, this device has
only 1 CD from Sheri Lynn of Emerson Keep, Or, a
tower vert, and no CDs from the badge of the Shire
of Emerald Keep, Or, a tower within a bordure
embattled vert.}

Submitted as Cathal Kinhilt MacDoyl. Cathal is in
Ó Corráin & Maguire, 47, where it is described as a
common Irish name. Kinhilt is in Black, 401, as de
Kinhilt. We didn't find the spelling MacDoyl in
Black, 487, but given the other forms found there it
is a reasonable form.

The client asked for the name to be authentic for an
unspecified language. This combination of Scots and
Gaelic is not likely. Cathal Macdoyl is a Scots
spelling of a Gaelic name, and is a reasonable name.

We will pend the name while we contact the client.

The device conflicts with Alexandra Idonea, Barry-wavy argent and azure, a brunette
mermaid affronty
proper, dexter hand raised, and a chief wavy
counter-ermine. There is 1 CD for the addition of
the chief. It probably does not conflict with Morgan
Alanna Morcheartaigh, Per fess azure and sable, an
auburn-haired mermaid proper, tailed argent,
maintaining in her dexter hand a plate and in her
sinister a sword bendwise sinister proper. There is 1
CD for the field and probably 1 CD for changing the
tail (which is roughly half of a mermaid).}

{7) Cecily de Kenton--Device Resubmission

Azure, on a bend sinister cotised Or, three crosses
fleury azure.

The client's name was registered 4/98. Everyone
liked this device, but unfortunately it conflicts with
Katerina Arondel, Azure, on a bend sinister cotissed
Or three swallows volant fesswise, wings elevated
and addorsed, azure. There is 1 CD for the change
in type of tertiary.

Note--counting conflict on tertiary charges is a bit
confusing. Normally, it takes 2 changes to a set of
tertiary charges to count as a CD. But, a change in
type of tertiary counts as a CD if the tertiary are on a
simple geometric charge. Thus, in this case, there is
a CD between swallows and crosses because they are
on a bend sinister. If they were on an eagle or some
other complex charge, there would not be a
difference.}

{8) Ceridwen du Bois du nord--New Name and
Device--Pended

Argent, a popinjay affronty, head to dexter, on a
chief vert three shamrocks argent.

Submitted as Ceredwynn du Bois du Nord.
Ceredwynn was proposed as a variant of the
mythical Welsh name Ceridwen. Ceridwen
itself is
not a historical name and we did not find any
reference to show that it has been ruled "SCA-compatible." However, since it was registered as
recently as 1/97, it is probably registerable. The
combination of Welsh and French is actually
documentable; a record of Welsh archers who fought
in France during the Hundred Years War has Welsh-French combinations.

The client appears to be claiming du Bois du nord
through the grandfather clause, since it is registered
to her husband. It is not clear to us whether this
formation would be registerable without the
grandfather clause, although the general concept can
be found in English (see Reaney & Wilson, 325, s.n.
Northwood).

We are pending this device while we get permission
for the change from the client.}

9) Daria of Stormhaven--Device Resubmission

Argent, a fess embowed between three lightning
bolts in pile and a cloud purpure.

The client's name was registered 10/98. Her
original submission, identical to this one, was
returned 10/98 for administrative reasons.

The client's name was submitted to Laurel on the
8/98 ELoI. {His previous submission, Per pale
embattled azure and vert, a badger sejant
contourney argent maintaining a thistle Or, was
returned by Rouge Scarpe in 8/98 for poor contrast.}

We are not sure whether there is a conflict with
Nachum Avram ben Benjamin ben Meir, Azure, a
brock (Meles meles) passant proper, incensed.
There is definitely 1 CD for posture, and maybe a
second for tincture. We assume that there is not a
CD for incensing.

{SCA practice does allow for some natural markings
on an animal or object, so that the badger is argent
even though it has some black markings on white.}

We are not sure that Commilitoni is a period term,
and so we are sending it on for further comment.

12) Duccio Alighieri--Device Resubmission

Per pale vert and gules, a cubit arm Or maintaining
a quill and brush in saltire argent within a bordure
embattled Or.

The client's name was registered 10/98. His original
submission, identical to this one, was returned 10/98
for administrative reasons.

13) Eleanor of Warenne--Name Resubmission

The client's previous submission, Eleanor de
Warren, was returned for aural conflict with
Eleanor de Wardon. In addition to modifying the
name to reduce the conflict, she has received
permission to conflict from Eleanor de Wardon.

Several commenters thought that permission to
conflict applied only to armory. According to the
Administrative Handbook, "General Procedures for
Submissions," C.3, says that permission to conflict
may be granted for "Any item which is not identical
to, but would normally conflict under the current
rules for submissions, with an already registered
item." Thus names, like armory, may be given
permission to conflict.

14) Euriant Alessandra Deri--New Device

Per chevron vert and gules, on a chevron between
an eagle displayed and a fleur-de-lys vert, four roses
gules, barbed vert.

The client's name was included in the 9/98 ELoI.

15) Eva MacCarthy--Device Resubmission

Gules, a goblet Or and in chief a mullet of eight
points argent, a bordure indented Or.

The client's name was registered in 9/92. Her
previous device, which was identical to this one, was
returned by Laurel in 11/97 for redrawing.

This device is definitely reminiscent of depictions of
the Eucharistic bread and cup found in some
Christian churches. However, RfS IX.2 states that
"Magical or religious symbolism isn't usually
inherently offensive." It uses the Paschal lamb (a
lamb with a halo, holding a banner with a red cross
on it--a reference to the resurrected Christ) as an
example of an allowable charge. Like the Paschal
lamb, these charges are religious but fall within the
allowable guidelines according to the rules.

{16) Felicia de Moncada--New Device

Sable, a lammergeier displayed, in chief a
descrescent and a base indented argent.

The client's name was registered 5/98.

The crescent in this drawing is much too small, and
we are returning this for redrawing--actually a
redesign that dropped the crescent altogether would
be preferable. Also, note that a bird displayed
normally has its head turned to the right.

I am fairly certain that scientific names are no longer
included in blazons, but I wasn't able to find a
precedent for it.}

17) Galen of Ockham--New Name and Device

Per pall inverted sable, argent, and azure, in chief a
compass star argent and an increscent sable.

{This is a very lost sheep which was sent directly to
me by Dragon.}

Galen was a 2nd-century physician who was the
foremost authority through the Middle Ages.
Although there are no recorded examples of Galen
in the Middle Ages, the name was sufficiently well-known that it is considered
plausible in the SCA; it
was most recently registered in 2/98.

{18) Gleann Iaruinn, Canton of--Group Name
and Device Resubmission

Per chevron inverted gules and sable, a chevron
inverted between two laurel wreaths Or.

The group's original submission, Gleann Iarainn,
was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 11/97. Both their
original submission and this one are intended to
mean Iron Valley, but there is no evidence that Iron
Valley, in any spelling, is a period Irish name. Thus
we are returning the name as well.

The device is still registerable as is.}

19) Jibra'il al-Nasrani--New Name

The client documents Jibra'il from Schimmel,
Islamic Names, 29. Naºrani (meaning "Christian")
is documented by a letter from the Academy of S.
Gabriel. (The curl under the s above should be a dot,
which I cannot reproduce).

The client already has a registered name Padraig
MacAndreis, which he wants to release upon the
registration of this name. All items registered to
Padraig MacAndreis should be transferred to this
name.

20) Katarina von Danzig--New Name and Device

Azure, a unicorn rampant Or crined and tailed
argent, a bordure Or.

Katarina is called a "Renaissance German name" at
Gerry and Julie's Landsknecht Site
(http://www.znet.com/
~savaskan/germans/names.html). The spelling
Katerina is dated to 1350 in Scott, "Medieval
German Names from Silesia. Danzig (the German
name for what is now the Polish city of Gdansk) is
dated to the 10th century by Ring, International
Dictionary of Historic Places, v. 2, pp. 289-294.

21) Kateryn of Cornwall--Device Resubmission

Per bend sinister gules and sable, a bend sinister
argent between a sun in splendor and an increscent
moon argent.

The client's name was registered 1/96. {Her original
submission, Per pale sable and azure, a moon argent
and a sun Or, on a pile inverted throughout argent a
cross formy sable, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in
4/97 for complexity and slot machine heraldry.}

22) Kirsten Thorsteinsdottir--Device
Resubmission

Per chevron azure and argent, two compass stars
argent and a lion's head erased gules.

The client's name was registered 1/91. {Her first
submission was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 8/97
for conflict with Alrikr af Stjarnaheimi, Per chevron
throughout azure and argent, two compass stars and
a pithon embowed counterchanged. She has
received permission to conflict, even though there
are apparently 2 CDs from Alrikr--one for changing
the type of half the primary group, and one for
changing the tincture. The same count applies
against Deporodh of Rannoch, Per chevron abased
azure and argent, two mullets argent and a birch
leaf erect proper.

{Is this a resubmission or an appeal? While the
device itself has not changed, the reason for the
return wasn't challenged. The distinction is
somewhat arbitrary in this case, so for simplicity's
sake I'm calling it a resubmission.}

23) Middle, Kingdom of the--New Badge

(Fieldless) A chamfron argent.

The date of the client's name registration is not
recorded in the online O&A, but we trust that it will
not be an issue.

{24) Northshield, Principality of--New Badge

(Fieldless) A compass star clechy gyronny Or and
argent.

The client's name was registered 10/94. There are
two problems with this badge. First, clechy is a
treatment that is applied to crosses, but not to other
charges. Second, the compass star has poor
contrast--according to RfS VIII.2.b.iv, "Elements
evenly divided into multiple parts of two different
tinctures must have good contrast between their
parts."

It does not conflict with Ansteorra, A mullet of five
greater and five lesser points distilling gouttes. A
tinctureless charge can be displayed in any single
tincture, but there is a difference between gyronny
and any single tincture. Thus there is 1 CD for
fieldlessness and 1 CD for change of tincture.}

{25) Northshield, Principality of--New Badge

Sable, on a napkin voided conjoined to an orle
argent a cross clechy Or.

This badge has been withdrawn by the Principality.}

{26) Northshield, Principality of--New Badge

Sable, a lower-case alpha Or within an orle argent.

This badge has been withdrawn by the Principality.}

{27) Northshield, Principality of--New Badge

Per fess sable and gules masoned Or, three piles in
point and a bordure Or.

This badge has been withdrawn by the Principality.}

{28) Robert of Starleaf Gate--New Device

Sable, a sun of four greater and twelve lesser points
argent eclipsed gules.

This device was returned in last month's meeting,
but not included on the LoAR. The four primary
points of the sun extend almost to the edge of the
shield, while the other twelve points are small.
Without some evidence that this is a period depiction
of a sun, we must return this design.}

The client has included a history of the Montague
family which says that the original form of
Montague is de Monte Acuto, and
documentation
for the form de Montaigu from a list of knights who
participated in the Norman Conquest
( http://www.rootsweb.com/
~ote/knight.htm).
Reaney, Origins, 72, shows the form Montacute,
which is a bit closer.

The client wants a female name appropriate for
England, 1066-1100. She will NOT permit major
changes to her name, and does not want the form
Simone for her given name. She will accept de
Montaigu for her byname if necessary.

31) Toke Magnusson--Device Resubmission

Purpure, a dexter hand inverted, in chief a roundel
between an increscent and a decrescent argent.

The client's name was registered 10/98. His original
submission, identical to this one, was returned 10/98
for administrative reasons.

Gyronny of eight argent and sable, on a torteau in
chief a dragon passant argent.

The client's name was registered 11/84. The
augmentation was granted 5/95. (The grant gives
the client permission to use an augmentation of his
choice.) He has asked that his current device be
retained as a badge upon registration of this
augmentation, but (as I discovered recently) an
augmentation does not replace the original device.

{34) Yehudit bat Rina--New Device

Per bend sinister gules and sable, six pairs of stalks
in saltire Or.

This client's name appeared on the 12/94 ILoI, but it
does not appear to have been registered. We have
pended this name for some time in an attempt to find
the name, but we haven't been able to do so.
Therefore, we are returning this device.}

Done by my hand the 15th day of November, anno societatis xxxiii, being the
feast of the blessed Albertus Magnus.

Disclaimer: This page is not officially sanctioned by the SCA,
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has based the information published here on publicly-available
documentation.